Taste of Americana: The Colony Cookbook, August 2018

In 1993, Colony Days — the event to celebrate the founding of Atascadero — celebrated 20 years. To commemorate the event we formed a committee to put together a cookbook, hoping to raise funds for our nonprofit organization that presents the event in October of each year. I was chairman of Colony Days that year and our board officers included Vice Chairman Kacey Sullivan, Recording Secretary Joan Rexroth, Corresponding Secretary Tammy Jordan, and Treasurer Dyann Shepard. Then-directors included Diana Schmaeling, Pat Krout, Gaylene McCarty, Maggie Vandergon, Marge Knowles, Geoff English, and Wayne Cooper. The cookbook planning committee included Pat Krout, Shirley Moore, Joanne Faulconer, David Butz, and myself. As we set out to design the cookbook, it was clear that we had a wonderful source of recipes right here in Atascadero and that the diversity of backgrounds of the early settlers who answered the invitation of founder E.G. Lewis to “Come West” to Atascadero, was reflected in the recipes we were collecting. Many were from family members who had answered the call. Our introduction in the book states that “Throughout the history of Atascadero, families and friends have celebrated together by sharing food — picnics, formal dinners, potlucks, and brunches — from Atascadero Beach, to Atascadero Lake Park, to Pine Mountain, and places in-between” — and the tradition continues, 103 years later. The cookbook, titled “Great Recipes from The Colony”, was a success in many ways. We made some needed funds for the celebration in October, and it gave the Atascadero “community of cooks” an opportunity to share their recipes. On Oct. 6, Colony Days will celebrate its 45th year of marching down El Camino to celebrate our community, and the cookbook will be 25 years old! Regional cookbooks are as much a part of Americana as any fancy cookbooks produced by popular chefs. This month I’m sharing two recipes from the book and I’m sure you will recognize the donors.

Note: This first recipe for Margaritas came from Maggie Rice Vandergon, the Founder of Colony Days. Maggie formed the committee in 1973, and has been a member since that year. She calls the Margaritas “the world’s greatest!” Thus, the name.

World’s Greatest Margaritas

From Maggie Rice Vandergon

Ingredients:

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1 can frozen lemonade (6 oz.)

1 can frozen limeade (6 oz.) (Use the empty lemonade can for the next measures.)

1 ½ can Firestone Walker Lager*

1 1/3 can tequila

¼ to ½ can triple sec

Ice cubes

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher. Mix well. Fill a standard-size electric blender approximately 2/3 full of ice. Pour liquid ingredients over ice. Blend at frappe setting until mixture has reached that consistency. Pour into margarita glasses. (It is your option to rim the glass with salt.) Serve with straws. Recipe makes enough for 2 full blenders. * Firestone Walker was not a part of the original recipe, but a beer recommended by the publishers of COLONY Magazine.

Note: This next recipe was offered by Doris Reynolds who served on the early Colony Days committee. In 2017 she served as Queen of Colony Days. (Retired Judge Ed Chidlaw served as King.)

Note: Joyce Elliott DeCou submitted the next recipe. Her parents owned Elliott’s Pharmacy on El Camino Real in Atascadero. She and her husband Jerry owned DeCou Lumber in Atascadero for many years. Jerry was Grand Marshal of the Colony Days Parade in 1997.